Light Temperature

The colour of light is a tricky subject and I don’t want to get technical. As long as you know it is expressed in Kelvins (K) that is already a great start!

Blame it on the sun The sun is about 5800 Kelvins. This is called a "temperature," because the hotter fire gets, the more it changes from a warm yellow to a white colour.

Kelvin rating
The lower the Kelvin rating is, the warmer and more yellow the light is.

Example of this light is the common incandescent bulb we are all used to having around our homes. The Edison bulb we have all grown to love, is about 2700K. It produces a softer yellow light that is very pleasing to the human eye and gives us a sense of warmth.

The higher the Kelvin rating is, the cooler, whiter and bluer the light is.

3 Primary types of colour temperature

The three primary types of color temperature for light bulbs are:

1) Soft White (2700K – 3000K)

2) Bright White/Cool White (3500K – 4100K)

3) Daylight (5000K – 6500K)

You can read about the uses of the different types of colour temperature in my Light Temperature Guide blog post or if you would like to know which type of colour temperature works best for your space please contact me at hello@orsettointeriors.com